Man who lost leg turns down plea deal in drug-robbery and shots-fired case

Gregory Jones appears in Onondaga County Court in a case where his accused of firing shots at a vehicle that was about to run him down. He lost part of his right leg during the incident. Dick Blume / The Post Standard

Syracuse, NY - A Syracuse man who lost a leg as a result of being run down by a vehicle he reportedly was shooting at rejected a plea deal today calling for a state prison sentence.

Gregory Jones, 22, was brought to County Court from jail in a wheelchair as a result of the severe injuries he suffered in the May 7 incident.

Jones is facing robbery, weapons possession, drug possession and reckless endangerment charges that could send him to state prison for up to 40 years.

In court before County Judge Anthony Aloi today he rejected a plea deal that would have called for him to plead guilty to one felony charge of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and be sentenced to five years in prison.

Defense lawyer Susan Carey said she has been trying to get authorities to file criminal charges against the driver of the vehicle who ran down Jones.

"He was not justified at all," she said. "Why is the person who ran him down not charged with anything?"

Chief Assistant District Attorney Joseph Coolican declined comment on any of the facts of the case while charges are still pending against the defendant.

According to authorities, Jones was walking in the 300 block of West Matson Avenue about 5 p.m. May 7 when he was struck by a Chevy Trailblazer driven by 63-year-old Willie Jones.

Willie Jones, who is not related to Gregory Jones, told police he ducked down with his foot still on the accelerator when he saw the defendant point a gun at his vehicle. He said he heard a shot and his vehicle then struck the defendant.

According to police, Willie Jones told authorities he was out looking for the person who had robbed his daughter and her friend about 30 minutes earlier.

Police said Eloise Smith, 44, and 52-year-old Steven Glen were trying to sell Gregory Jones 34 grams of powder cocaine in the 200 block of Evaleen Avenue when the defendant pulled a gun and stole the drugs.

Authorities said Smith went to her father's home to tell him about the robbery but did not mention that it occurred during a drug deal.

Carey said Willie Jones was driving around looking for a suspect in a green sweatshirt when he spotted her client in a green sweatshirt and drove toward him. After running over the man, Willie Jones called 911 and waited for police, officials said.

Carey said the neighborhood where the incident occurred has several school and athletic teams that wear the color green. The fact that Gregory Jones was wearing a green sweatshirt when he was run down was no proof he had been the person involved in the robbery of Willie Jones' daughter, the lawyer said.

Gregory Jones ended up having his right leg amputated from above the knee, she explained. He also suffered a crushed pelvis, a broken back, head and internal injuries and injuries to his left leg, Carey said.

Gregory Jones initially was hospitalized in critical condition. He now remains in the Justice Center jail with bail set at $250,000 cash or $500,000 bond.

Aloi said the prosecution was free to indict the case -- including the robbery and the reckless endangerment shots-fired incident -- after the defense rejected the plea deal.